In Pictures: MakerBot couture. 3D-printed fashion hits the runway

3D printing has already advanced the medical, technical, and automotive fields, and likewise, it's being quickly adopted by the fashion industry.

Fashion! Turn to the left! Fashion! Turn to the right!
We've been spending a lot of time with our 3D printers lately. And the more we do, the more we love them. It's been amazing to see the reach of 3D printing—and its potential. 3D printing has already advanced the medical, technical, and automotive fields, and likewise, it's being quickly adopted by the fashion industry. From shoes to eyeglasses, bikinis to bow ties, there's been an explosion of wearable 3D garments. Check out the noteworthy, the bizarre, and the functional offerings of 3D fashion.

Dita's Gown by Francis Bitonti Studio
Dita von Teese got plenty of attention when she stepped out in a form-hugging 3D printed dress made from powdered nylon. Designers Francis Bitonti and Michael Schmidt collaborated on the creation, which consists of 17 unique pieces, 3,000 joints, and over 13,000 Swarovski crystals.

Gilded Horn Mask by Catherine Wales
The Project DNA Collection by Catherine Wales includes masks, shoulder pieces, and corsets. The collection is part of a 3D printing exhibit in the Netherlands.

Catherine Wales
Another design by Catherine Wales, this feathered shoulder piece is part of the eight-piece collection.

Titanium Rock by Damn
3D printing company Materialise worked with design firm Damn to create this high-priced, high-class titanium brooch for men

Bow Tie
Monocircus is a collector of unique things, like this 3D printed bow tie. Both stylish and comfortable, the bow tie slips over the top button on your shirt—which saves you the trouble of learning how to tie a bow tie.

D.dress by Continuum
Fashion house Continuum created the D.dress as a sort of physical software: The firm's online app allows you to "draw a dress, turn it into a 3D model, and export a cutting pattern to make the real dress, sized to your measurements."

N12 bikini by Continuum
In addition to dresses, Continuum also produces a 3D-printed bikini, the N12. Named for the material it's made out of (Nylon 12), the bikini is constructed from thousands of circular plates connected by thin strings.

iPhone Mashup Shoe by Alan Nguyen
Alan Nguyen created this functional footwear as a project to show "the possibilities of fusing all three categories of Art, Fashion, and Product Design with the use of 3D printing." The shoes were shown at the 2012 Milan Design Week.

strvct shoes by Continuum
Again, we have Continuum, this time delving into footwear with the strvct shoes. strvct refers to the structure—the shoe itself is lined with a patent leather sole to be entirely wearable.

winged strvct shoes by Continuum
Another version of the strvct shoes from Continuum, all gussied up with origami Tyvek butterflies.

3D sintering shoes by Hoon Chung
Hoon Chung's streamlined shoe was sponsored by EOS while he was still a graduate student at the London College of Fashion. The AW12 collection features several styles of 3D-printed shoes constructed from a flexible prototyped material and pastel shell base.

Shoes by Victoria Spruce
Victoria Spruce's website circles through several of her designs, which all feature a 3D-printed nylon base. The Royal College of Art graduate says she's inspired by sculpture, architecture, and design.

Vapor Laser Talon by Nike
Yes, even big names like Nike are getting in the 3D-printed fashion game. These football cleats feature sports' first 3D-printed plate, which is intended to help football players maintain their drive position.

Brandon Wong
Brandon Wong sells his 3D-printed frames on Shapeways, which is the Etsy of 3D-printed items. His shop, Solid Art, combines aspects of the artistic and industrial worlds.

Kosmo by Mykita Mylon
Mykita began experimenting with 3D printing back in 2007, eventually developing its own material, Mylon, which is a polyamide-based material that can be adjusted to each user.

Protos Eyewear
If you've ever wished for glasses that look like Legos, you're going to want to check out Protos Eyewear. Protos was formed specifically to create 3D-printed eyewear, and will soon be offering custom designs with a fit tailored to each user's facial measurements—an advancement made significantly easier by 3D manufacturing.

The Emperor from Eragatory
Another Shapeways entry comes from designer Eragatory, who also makes cutlery and sculptures.

Nervous System Jewelry
A design studio that works "at the intersection of science, art, and technology," Nervous System produces some breathtakingly lovely 3D-printed jewelry from a variety of materials, including nylon, silver, and stainless steel. After browsing the catalog, I basically want to give this company all of my money.

Subdivision cuff by Nervous System
Another entry from Nervous System, the Subdivision cuff is made from nylon, comes in four colors, and has a coral-like texture.

Iris van Herpen
Part of the Voltage Haute Couture collection, this dress from Dutch designer Iris van Herpen (who interned with Alexander McQueen) is actually a skirt and cape.

Iris van Herpen
Another, more...esoteric example of the designer's work with 3D printing. Van Herpen, who has designed clothing for Bjork and Lady Gaga, considers 3D fashion to be not just an experiment, but "an eventuality."

Melinda Looi and Materialise
A Belgian-based software pioneer and a Malaysian fashion designer partnered to create this collection, which was featured at Asia's very first 3D-printed fashion show. This garment is called "Let Her Shine."

Melinda Looi and Materialise
Another entry in the collection, which was based on the theme of "Birds," this cape is called "Open Wings."

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